Drainage Culvert That Caused Boy to Fall During Torch Parade in Bogor Now Covered

An eight-year-old boy fell into an uncovered drainage culvert on Jalan Raya Tegar Beriman, Cibinong District, Bogor, West Java. The culvert has now been fitted with an iron grate. “The Public Works Department, through the Road and Bridge Infrastructure Technical Implementation Unit (UPT IJJ) for Region I Cibinong, moved quickly to address the situation following the incident where a child fell into the drainage channel (U-ditch) during a torch parade on Sunday night,” stated an official release from the Bogor Regency Government on Wednesday (17/6/2026). The cover was installed directly in front of the Bogor Regency Health Office (Dinkes) to prevent similar incidents from recurring. “This barrier was installed to prevent similar incidents, especially during periods of increased public activity, such as nighttime events or religious gatherings,” the statement said. Previously, the incident of the eight-year-old boy falling into the uncovered drainage culvert in Cibinong, Bogor, went viral on social media. The accident occurred while the victim and his mother were participating in a torch parade to commemorate the Islamic New Year. “The story is that they were in the torch parade. The mother, representing Pakansari, brought two children, a boy and a girl. While passing in front of Jalan Tegar Beriman, the boy fell into the culvert,” said Cibinong Sub-district Head Acep Sajidin on Tuesday (16/6). “The one who fell in is eight years old, in second grade of elementary school. The girl is still small, around four years old and in kindergarten,” he added. Acep said there was a moment of panic because residents trying to help could not fit into the culvert due to the narrow opening. Residents then took the initiative to evacuate the victim from the other end of the culvert. “He fell into the culvert and screamed, everyone started shouting, and he was immediately helped by village staff, because everyone was participating in the torch parade. They tried to enter the culvert but couldn’t fit, it was too narrow,” Acep said. “The culvert conditions were swift at the time, there was water flowing because the incident happened after heavy rain. But he wasn’t swept away; he was holding onto an iron bar inside the culvert and was then rescued by the village staff.”